Roller device for the painting of glass or crystal plates, and of flat surfaces in general



L. BOVONE March 1, 1966 ROLLER DEVICE FOR THE PANTING OF GLASS ORCRYSTAL PLATES, AND OF FLAT SURFACES IN GENERAL Filed Aug. 15, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 1 L. BOVONE March 1, 1966 ROLLER DEVICE FOR THE PANTING OFGLASS OR CRYSTAL PLATES, AND OF FLAT SURFACES IN GENERAL Filed Aug. 13,1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

L u /nfm 6 L. BOVONE March 1, 1966 3,237,597 sTAL ROLLER DEVICE FOR THEPAINTING OF GLASS OR CRY PLATES, AND OF FLAT SURFACES IN GENERAL FiledAug. 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 1, 1966 BOVONE 3,237,597

ROLLER DEVICE FOR THE PAINTING OF GLASS OR CRYSTAL PLATES, AND OF FLATSURFACES IN GENERAL Filed Aug. 15. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 wsa@ UnitedStates Patent ROLLER DEVICE F012 THE PAINTING F GLASS OR CRYSTAL PLATES,AND 0F FLAT SURFACES IN GENERAL Luigi Bovone, Circonvallazione Stura,vada, Alessandria, Italy Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,358 Claims.(Cl. 118-249) This invention relates to a device by which glass orcrystal plates, and dat surfaces in general, can be painted by means ofa set of rollers.

The already known roller devices designed for the above purposes showmany drawbacks. First of all, they cau-se the breakage of a more 4orless high percentage of the processed plates, or at least a non-uniformpainting of some plates is obtained, due to the fact that the platethickness is not always constant within the same lot, due to theunavoidable manufacturing tolerances, whereby a pressure higher or lowerthan the pre-established value is exerted by the rollers. In fact, therollers of such devices d-o not adjust themselves automatically to thethickness of the plates; they only are adjusted by hand to a theoreticalthickness before the device is started. Moreover, a drying of the paint,which is fed by hand between the rollers, often occurs, whereby solventshave to `be added periodically, and the device is to 'be stopped atintervals for cleaning the rollers. The painting is performed, in analready known device, by two rollers, i.e. a steel roller and arubber-coated roller. The lrubbing of rubber coating ends against thestationary outer supporting walls results in a very quick wear and tearthereof, with consequent inltrations and loss of paint. Moreover, thefilm of paint is not spread in an absolutely consistent and uniformmanner across the rollers, whereby the paint film will show adjoiningtracts with different capacity. Finally, since the paint film is notcontinuously renewed on the rollers, flakes of dried paint are form-ed,while on the other hand thick, seamlike deposits of paint in excess, arelaid onto the plate edges.

The object of this invention is the provision of a device which is freefrom the above stated drawbacks, and that is characterized essentiallyin that it comprises a pair of rollers driven by a motor-reduction unitand supported -by a frame, which is tiltable about a horizontal axis.

According to a special feature of the invention, the paint is fed to therollers by a pump, and the excess of paint ows toward the roller facesand then into a return piping, by which such paint is led again into thepaint tank, wherefrom it is fed once more to the rollers by the abovestated pump.

According to a further feature of the invention, resilient rings, havinga diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the rubbercovering, are tted on both ends of the rub'ber covered roller. Suchrings are designed to act as seals, by adhering against the steelroller. v

The invention will be disclosed in the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment form thereof, as shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Patented Mar. 1, 1966 r'ice FIG. 1 is a diagrammaticperspective view of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial section taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

Referring now to above gures, the device according to the inventioncomprises -a frame, generally indicated with 1, and consisting of twoside members 2 and 3, connected with one another by cross lmembers (notshown), and serving as supports for -carrying round rods or rollers 4,whereon the plate to tbe painted is laid. A frame, generally indicatedwith 7, is swingingly supported in bearings 6, mounted on supports 5,that are secured to the yside members 2 and 3 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). Thepainting rollers 8 and 9 are revolvingly tted in the above frame 7. Bothsaid rollers are of steel, and the roller 9 is covered by a rubbersheathing 10.

The frame 7 consists of two side members 11 and 11', connected with oneanother by the cross members 12 and secured by `the screws 113. Amotor-reduction unit (see FIGS. l and 2), that consists of the electricmotor 13 and of reduction gear 14, is secured to said frame, adjacent toone end of one of the cross members 12. The output gear (not shown) ofthe motor-reduction unit, is in mesh with a gear 16 (see FIG. 4), whichis secured to journal 17 of the roll-er 8. A further gear 18, keyed onthe same journal 17, is in mesh with a gear 19, which is secured tojournal 20 of the rubber covered roll 9. The journal 17 is turnablymounted Iby mean-s of bearing 21 in a journal box 22 integral with sidemember 11. 23 is a packing, which -is tightly pressed against thejournal 17, the inside surface of journal box 22 and the step 24 ofjournal 17. The packing 23 is acted upon by a compression spring 25, theother end of which presses against the bottom 26 -of a -hole 27 cut outof a plate 28, which is thereby forced against the ends of rollers 8 and9.

The section 30 of a duct that leads at 31 into the paint tank 49, isconnected with the lower end of a channel 29 formed in the plate 28 (seeFIGS. 1 and 4). At the joumal 20 of roller 9a compression spring 32presses with one end again-st the bottom 26 of a hole 27', wherein thejournal 20 is located. The opposite end of said spring 32 pressesagainst a packing 23', similar to the previously described packing 23(see FIG. 4). The journal 20 is supported, `by means of a 'ball `bearing33, in an eccentric journal box 34 fitted with a toothed segment 35,that meshes with a pinion 36, keyed on a shaft 37, which is supported at39 (by already known means) by the side member 7. Said shaft 37 projectsoutwardly of plate 11', opposite to the plate 11 shown in the FIG. 4,and an adjusting knob 38 is fitted on its outer end, thus allowing toturn the shaft 37, whereby the roller 9 can be moved to, and from theroller 8.

4t) are threaded plugs that serve as stops. The eccentric member 34 isfrictionally supported in the side member 11, as shown in the FIG. 4.

The plate 28 is forced by the springs 32 and 25 against the annularflange 41 of a resilient ring 42, made of a rubber softer than that ofsheathing 10. The axial portion of ring 42 is engaged with a groove 43formed on the end of sheathing 10, and extends slightly beyond the outerperipheral surface thereof, in order that its jutting portion is alwayskept pressed against the contour of roller 8, Whichever the relativespacing of rollers 8 and 9 may be.

The same components (though not shown) are tted on the end of frame 7opposite to that shown in the FIG. 4 and marked with A in the FIG.1except for the gears 16, 18 and 19. In other words, a plate similar tplate 2S, two holes similar to holes 27 and 31, two compression springssimilar to springs and 32, two bearings similar to bearings 21 and 33,an eccentric body similar to body 34, and a pinion similar to pinion 36are provided on the side as indicated with A in the FIG. 1.

The channel 29 similar to channel 29, and provided on the frame side A,is connected with a piping Sii', that in turn is connected with thepiping 31, whereby the paint which is flowing therein can be broughtback into the tank 49. The paint contained in the tank 49 is fed by apump 50, to duct 51, that leads at 52 between the rollers (see FIGS. land 2). A second tank 54 contains a solvent. A lhand operated valve 53,tted in the piping 51, allows to send into the duct 51 solvent suckedfrom tank 54 by the centrifugal pump 55, through delivery duct 56.

The operation of the aforedescribed device is as follows: assuming thata plate X is laid onto the roller 4, that the motor-reduction unit 13-14is running, and that paint is fed by the pump 50 between the rollers 8and 9. Then the sheathed roller 9 is kept in contact with the plate X,owing to its swinging suspension. In fact, it must be considered thatthe moment exerted by the roller 9 due to the length and resultingweight is substantially greater than that of motor-reduction unit 13-14,whereby the sheathed roller will always adhere against the plate X.Plate X will be painted and the excess paint fiows continuously backinto tank 49, across the ducts 29, and 30.

When a change is to be made in the amount of paint which is transferredonto the plate X, it will be suicient toA turn the knob 38, therebymoving the sheathed roller 9 to, or from the steel roller 8 by therequired amount.

After the end of the operation, both rollers can be cleaned by openingvalve 53, and starting at the same time the centrifugal pump 5S, bywhich solvent is sucked from the tank S4.

In some cases, the possibility exists to have both pumps 50 and 5Soperated at the same time, thereby diluting the paint before it comesbetween the rollers S and 9.

What I claim is:

1. In a roller device for painting the top surface of a plate, incombination, support means for supporting a plate to be painted and foradvancing the plate in one direction; a pair of rollers having parallelaxes extending substantially normal to said one direction and beinglocated above and spaced from said support means, said axes being spacedfrom each other so that the peripheral surfaces of said rollers closelyapproach each other to form a narrow gap facing said support meansbetween adjacent surface portions of said rollers; a rigid integralframe mounted on said support means tiltable about a tilting axis; fixedbearing means carried by said frame and supporting one of said rollersturnably about its axis; eccentric bearing means carried by said frameand having an axis spaced from and parallel to the axis of said oneroller and turnably supporting the other of said rollers about an axisthe distance of which from the axis of said one roller is adjustable byturning said eccentric bearing means to thereby adjust the gap betweensaid rollers; land drive means mounted on said frame and beingoperatively connected to said rollers for rotating the same about theiraxes, said frame and the elements mounted thereon arranged to keep saidother roller in contact with a plate placed on said support means.

2. In a roller device for painting the top surface of a plate, incombination, support means for supporting a plate to be painted and foradvancing the plate in one direction; a pair of rollers having parallelaxes extending substantially normal t0 said one direction and beinglocated above and spaced from said support means, said axes being spacedfrom each other so that the peripheral surfaces of said rollers closelyapproach each other to form a narrow gap facing said support meansbetween adjacent surface portions of said rollers; a rigid integralframe mounted on said support means tiltable about a tilting axis; fixedbearing means carried by said frame and having an axis coinciding withsaid tilting axis and supporting one of said rollers turnable about theaxis of said fixed bearing means; eccentric bearing means carried bysaid frame at a location to one side of said tilting axis and turnablysupporting the other of said rollers about an axis parallel to saidtilting axis and the distance of which from said tilting axis isadjustable by turning said eccentric bearing means to thereby adjust thegap between said rollers; a rubber sleeve covering the peripheralsurface of said other roller; and drive means mounted on said frame atthe other side of said tilting axis and being operatively connected tosaid rollers for rotating the same about their axes, said frame and theelements mounted thereon arranged to keep said other roller in contactwith a plate placed on said support means.

3. In a roller device for painting the top surface of a plate, incombination, support means for supporting a plate to be painted and foradvancing the plate in one direction; a pair of rollers having parallelaxes extending substantially normal to said one direction and beinglocated above and spaced from said support means, said axes being spacedfrom each other so that the peripheral surfaces of said rollers closelyapproach each other to form a narrow gap facing said support meansbetween adjacent surface portions of said rollers; a frame mounted onsaid support means and supporting said rollers turnably about theiraxes, said frame being tiltable about a tilting axis coiniciding withthe axis of one roller, the axis of the other roller vbeing located toone side of said tilting axis; a rubber sleeve covering the peripheralsurface of said other roller; and drive means mounted on said frame atthe other side of said tilting axis and being operatively connected tosaid rollers for rotating the same about their axes, said drive meanscomprising a motor, a gear reduction unit driven by said motor andhaving a drive gear, a first gear coaxially fixed to said one roller andmeshing with said drive gear, and a second gear coaxially fixed to saidother roller and meshing with said first gear, said frame and theelements mounted thereon arranged to keep said other roller in contactwith a plate placed on said support means, whereby due to thearrangement of said drive means on said frame the pressure of said otherroller `on a plate to be painted will not be changed due to variationsof the plate thickness and resulting tilting of said frame.

4. A roller device as set forth in claim 1 and including means foradjusting the position of said eccentric bearing means to thereby adjustthe gap between said rollers.

5. A roller device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means foradjusting the position of said eccentric bearing means to thereby adjustthe gap between said rollers include a gear segment fixed to saideccentric bearing means, a shaft extending parallel to the axis of saideccentric bearing means turnably mounted on said frame, a pinion Carriedby said shaft and meshing with said gear segment, and operating meansconnected to said shaft for turning the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Perrins 118-262 XGolrick.

Shallcross 11S-262 X Daley 118-262 Parkinson 1118-262 Morrison 118-259 XMortell 118-262 X Hannay et a1 1118-405 Chew 118-259 X 6 3/ 1958Schaefer 118-249 X 9/1960 Armstrong 118-259 X 7/ 1961 Dearsley 118-602 X1/ 1962 Shields 11S-262 FOREIGN PATENTS 12/ 1957 France.

6/ 1959 France.

10 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD NEVIUS, Examiner.

I. A. HAUG, LEON MACKLIN, Assistant Examiners.

1. IN A ROLLER DEVICE FOR PAINTING THE TOP SURFACE OF A PLATE, INCOMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A PLATE TO BE PAINTED AND FORADVANCING THE PLATE IN ONE DIRECTION; A PAIR OF ROLLERS HAVING PARALLELAXES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID ONE DIRECTION AND BEINGLOCATED ABOVE AND SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID AXES BEING SPACEDFROM EACH OTHER SO THAT THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF SAID ROLLERS CLOSELYAPPROACH EACH OTHER TO FORM A NARROW GAP FACING SAID SUPPORT MEANSBETWEEN ADJACENT SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID FOLLERS; A RIGID INTERGALFRAME MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS TILTABLE ABOUT A TILTING AXIS; FIXEDBEARING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND SUPPORTING ONE OF AID ROLLERSTURNABLY ABOUT ITS AXIS; ECCENTRIC BEARING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAMEAND HAVING AN AXIS SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID ONEROLLER AND TURNABLY SUPPORTING THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLERS ABOUT AN AXISTHE DISTANCE OF WHICH FROM THE AXIS OF SAID ONE ROLLER IS ADJUSTABLE BYTURNING SAID ECCENTRIC BEARING MEANS TO THEREBY ADJUST THE GAP BETWEENSAID ROLLERS; AND DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND BEINGOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLERS FOR ROTATING THE SAME ABOUT THEIRAXES, SAID FRAME AND THE ELEMENTS MOUNTED THEREON ARRANGED TO KEEP SAIDOTHER ROLLER IN CONTACT WITH A PLATE PLACED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS.